The French President's speech “reflects a genuine desire” to strengthen the strategic partnership with Morocco, and gives a strong boost to bilateral cooperation “in line with the aspirations of the peoples and leaders of both countries”, the MPs, who represent both Houses of the Parliament, told MAP.               

They also noted that strengthening bilateral partnership would contribute to achieving co-development and regional stability, as well as enshrining the role and presence of both countries on the African continent.

In this respect, the Chairwoman of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, National Defense and Moroccan Expatraites in the House of Councillors, Neila Tazi, described the French President's speech to parliament as “historic”, noting that Macron “reaffirmed his country's position supporting Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara, following the letter he sent to HM King Mohammed VI last July.”

President Macron's speech set the bar high for the partnership between the two countries, which began to take shape with the signing, on Monday evening, of 22 agreements between the Kingdom of Morocco and the French Republic, covering various economic, environmental, academic and cultural fields. 

These agreements reflect the solid foundations of the exceptional relationship between the two countries, Tazi said, adding that this partnership will promote economic development, peace and stability in the region.

For his part, Mohamed Zidouh, Chairman of the Morocco-France Friendship Group in the House of Councillors, said that the French President's speech, which opens a new page in bilateral relations, expresses explicit support for Morocco's territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces.

Zidouh noted that Moroccan-French relations are based on “a friendship founded on a shared vision of political, economic and social issues”, for the benefit of both countries.

In the same vein, Abdelilah Hifdi, member of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) parliamentary group in the House of Councillors, said that President Macron's speech opened up new prospects for bilateral relations in general, and for the Moroccan Sahara in particular, especially as the French Head of State reaffirmed France's support for Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara, and its willingness to promote investment in the southern provinces and support sustainable development there.  

Hifdi also welcomed the French President's call to invest in the Kingdom's southern provinces, stressing that this would “give a new impetus” to economic cooperation between the two countries, promote French foreign investment and integrate value chains between the two countries to ensure economic prosperity.